Lee Frankel - jazzreview.com - Your Jazz Music Connection - jazzreview.com - Your Jazz Music Connectionhttp://www.jazzreview.com
Tue, 26 Sep 2017 16:40:30 -0500Joomla! - Open Source Content Managementen-gbJazz Legend, Jimmy Smith Appears in New Jerseyhttp://www.jazzreview.com/jazz-news/news-story/jazz-legend-jimmy-smith-appears-in-new-jersey.html
http://www.jazzreview.com/jazz-news/news-story/jazz-legend-jimmy-smith-appears-in-new-jersey.htmlOn Friday, January 18th, legendary organ master Jimmy Smith will be playing his only NJ area concert at The Crossroads of Garwood. Jimmy Smith was born James Oscar Smith on December 8, 1928 in Norristown, Pennsylvania. An early glimpse into his future came at the age of nine when he took first prize in the Major Bowes Amateur Hour radio show, playing boogie-woogie piano. At 12, he was performing with his father around Philadelphia in a hot song and dance act. After some time in the Navy, Smit …

On Friday, January 18th, legendary organ master Jimmy Smith will be playing his only NJ area concert at The Crossroads of Garwood. Jimmy Smith was born James Oscar Smith on December 8, 1928 in Norristown, Pennsylvania. An early glimpse into his future came at the age of nine when he took first prize in the Major Bowes Amateur Hour radio show, playing boogie-woogie piano. At 12, he was performing with his father around Philadelphia in a hot song and dance act.

After some time in the Navy, Smith used the GI Bill to study bass at the Hamilton School, then piano and theory at the Orenstein School of Music. These studies provided a foundation for what would become his signature approach to the organ, which he began playing moonlighting as a member of Don Gardner's Sonotones band. Smith practiced alone and faithfully every day until he had "tamed the beast". His attack is patterned after horn players, not other keyboard players. He always wanted the instrument to stalk and growl- to literally leap out at the listener.

Jimmy Smith first signed to Verve in the mid-'60s, recording ground breaking sides like "Walk on the Wild Side," "Respect," and a collaboration with Wes Montgomery, The Dynamic Duo. At a time, he was described as , "...so far out in front of the other Hammond organists, he's lonesome!" After breaking with the label in the early '70s, Smith recorded for several companies, including Milestone and Elektra Musician. However, he returned to his home at Verve in 1994, in time for its televised 50th Anniversary Celebration at Carnegie Hall.

Jimmy's latest album, Dot Com Blues was released in 2001 to tremendous reviews. The album showcases Smith's trademark Hammond sounds along with contributions from special guests, B.B. King, Etta James, Dr. John, Taj Mahal, and Keb Mo, among others. Raves from other musical legends include: "There's only ever been one B3 player"- Gregg Allman , "Jimmy Smith is a pioneer. He is a true musical legend."-Diana Krall, "Jimmy is the indisputable champ of the jazz organ"-George Benson, "Jimmy's recording of 'All Night Long' changed my thinking about how an organ could sound in Blues rather than church. That record really opened my eyes. He's great!"

Tickets for Jimmy Smith at The Crossroads are on sale now at The Crossroads of Garwood, 78 North Ave (908) 232-5666. One show only at 7:30 pm. With the Radam Schwartz Quartet opening

]]>morrice.blackwell@gmail.com (Lee Frankel)News StorySat, 29 Jan 2011 20:21:31 -0600Stanley Jordan Plays the CROSSROADS, Garwood, NJhttp://www.jazzreview.com/jazz-news/news-story/stanley-jordan-plays-the-crossroads-garwood-nj.html
http://www.jazzreview.com/jazz-news/news-story/stanley-jordan-plays-the-crossroads-garwood-nj.htmlThe CROSSROADS proudly presents the one and only STANLEY JORDAN live onstage on MAY 10, 2002. Special Guest: Will Calhoun TRYING TO DESCRIBE STANLEY JORDAN IN SIMPLE TERMS is like trying to explain Einstein's Theory of Relativity in ten words or less. No matter what you say, you'd be leaving a lot out. And yet, that is probably what you've already done if you haven't heard the whole story. Best known as a guitarist who has made major technical and musical contributions to his instrument, Sta …

The CROSSROADS proudly presents the one and only STANLEY JORDAN live onstage on MAY 10, 2002. Special Guest: Will Calhoun

TRYING TO DESCRIBE STANLEY JORDAN IN SIMPLE TERMS is like trying to explain Einstein's Theory of Relativity in ten words or less. No matter what you say, you'd be leaving a lot out. And yet, that is probably what you've already done if you haven't heard the whole story. Best known as a guitarist who has made major technical and musical contributions to his instrument, Stanley Jordan has already made a name for himself as one of the most significant guitarists of the latter 20th century. After seeing him perform with his trio at the Montreal Jazz Festival, Los Angeles Times jazz critic Leonard Feather was prompted to write, "Genius is a word too often tossed around in musical circles, but it has been rightfully applied to Stanley Jordan."

The Technique Stanley uses a technique called the "Touch" or "Tapping" technique to achieve a level of orchestral complexity equaling that of a keyboard instrument. He can sound like two or three guitarists at the same time with no overdubs or other studio techniques. He says, "Basically, I use 'hammer-ons' and 'pull-offs.' These techniques have been around for a long time." But Stanley Jordan has raised this art to an unprecedented musical level, and has used it to express his unique musical vision. Other players, such as Jimmy Webster, Lenny Breau, Edward Van Halen and Emmett Chapman have also used the technique, but Stanley Jordan discovered and developed it independently, and today he is widely regarded as the first "Touch Virtuoso." He also uses traditional flat-picking and finger picking. A good example is "When Julia Smiles" from the album Flying Home. Much of the attention surrounding his sudden rise to fame in the mid 80s was based on his technique. Because the technique is so startling, so strikingly unusual, it is easy to see how it can make a dominating first impression. But what has become more and more clear through the years, is that he has the musicianship and creativity to match. His music is embued with a combination of passion, sensitivity, humor and shear brilliance. His technique never overwhelms his music. In fact, he says that since the early 80s he has been focusing much more on expressiveness than on speed and complexity. Could it be then, that many of his listeners still have not heard the full range of his abilities? Certainly what they have heard has made his live concerts legendary.

The Music Stanley Jordan plays with an uncommon depth of feeling. Many who see him perform for the first time are struck by the emotional intensity of his playing. There are times when he seems totally immersed in the music. As a listener, it is hard not to be affected by this feeling. Before you know it, you are drawn in to a new musical world with its own rules and its own seemingly limitless possibilities. And whether he's spinning out ever-new variations on songs he's played for years, or creating new songs on the spot, his shows are dependably unpredictable. You could see him play twice in the same night and it would be a different experience. So, what kind of music does Stanley Jordan play? Although he was originally marketed as a jazz artist, his direction has boldly evolved into a broad synthesis of styles. How do you classify an artist who freely mixes baroque and blues in the same phrase? Or who can lay down a jazzy walking bass line plus chords with one hand on one guitar while simultaneously playing a rock lead with distortion and feedback on another guitar with the other hand?